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What’s Your Relationship With The Big Brands?

August 9, 2018 By Jeff 25 Comments

Before we get into this one, I have a couple of quick things… First of all, why is there so much Everclear hatred in the world? I’m listening to their So Much For The Afterglow album and enjoying the living shit out of it. I like most of their stuff, at least the stuff I’ve heard. But whenever I mention them — almost without exception — people shout, “Oh god, I hate them!” I don’t understand. The songs are solid, the lyrics are compelling, and the guitars are crunchy. Why all the hate? I’m baffled. Oh well.

Also, the podcast is now in iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, and TuneIn. Those are the heavy hitters, and many of the smaller apps feed directly off iTunes, so it should continue to spread. The availability, anyway. Not sure about the number of downloads. But it’s available in most places at this point, I believe. I have to wait on Spotify and IHeartRadio. Both require five episodes, but I’m not sure how many people use those services for podcasts, anyway. I’ll attempt to get listed in both places, as soon as possible.

Anyway, if you use an app that does not list the Monday episodes of The Jeff Kay Show let me know and I’ll try to rectify the situation. And in the meantime, here’s the Thursday episode — for patrons only. The Thursday episodes are for the folks who contribute $4 or more per month, right here. Join us! It’s fun. Here’s the description for the new one:

After an enormous amount of research, a new cell phone is finally on its way to the nondescript home in suburban Pennsylvania. I obsess about that kind of thing and go on a lengthy tangent about the other ridiculous crap I fixate on. The list is fairly lengthy. Then, of course, I reveal the Whistle Dick of the Week. A Thursday tradition! Thanks for listening, and thanks for the support! It is sincerely appreciated.

Finally, when I logged into WordPress a few minutes ago there was a notification asking if I’m interested in being an early adopter of the Gutenberg system, or somesuch. I clicked yes, because why not? It said in the near future we’ll be FORCED to go full-Gutenberg, whatever the hell that is. So I went for it, and when it was finished shuckin’ ‘n’ jivin’ I think I had the exact same look on my face as this gentleman. It was like a completely different program. WTF? I mean, there was no resemblance whatsoever to what I’m used to doing. So, I frantically looked for the GO BACK TO CLASSIC button. Good god. There’s going to be a full-blown learning curve with this thing. I don’t mind minor tweaks, but sweet sainted mother of the Crimson Chin! This looks like a complete overhaul. Why?? Why can’t they just leave us alone? Am I going to have to be Six Sigma certified now, to run a freaking blog? Sheesh.

Now to the brand names… What brands are you loyal to? Are there any products that absolutely have to be a certain brand for you? I can only think of a few for me. I only buy Wrangler jeans, not because they’re stylish (obviously) but because I like the way they fit. If I buy some other brand, any other brand, it’ll feel weird and I’ll be walking around adjusting and tugging and pulling. I can’t have that. Also, I’m locked in on some toiletry brands. I’m not much for, you know, armpit adventurism, and that sort o’ thing. What about you? What do you have on this one? Which brands are a must? Tell us about it in the comments.

Also what store brands or off-brands are as good or better than the big nationals? I’m thinking potato chips, right? I like Lay’s, they’re solid, but some of the regional brands are as good or better. What else falls into that category?

And finally, what brands do you have an aversion to? Possibly an irrational aversion? I’m gonna go with Apple. I know their products are fantastic, but they annoy the shit out of me. The whole Apple thing… The smugness of their fans is at the top of the list. Plus, their software and all their stupid ways of doing things piss me off. Do you have anything like that? Let’s hear about it.

What’s your relationship with the big brands? Are you absolutely loyal to Ford, or Fruit of the Loom, or Nike? Or whatever? Tell us all about it, won’t you?

And I’m going to go see my buddy over at the Chinese carryout near our house and get this day underway. He calls me “Mr. Jeff,” by the way. He’s good people. And his beleaguered underlings make one hell of a beef and broccoli.

I’ll see you guys again on Monday.

Have a fantastic day and weekend!

Now playing in the bunker
Support us by doing your shopping on Amazon! In Canada? Here’s your link. Thank you, guys!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alice in WV says

    August 9, 2018 at 12:26 pm

    Hiya

    Reply
  2. Ognir says

    August 9, 2018 at 12:37 pm

    Paper towels and TP – other cleaning products. I only buy certain things.

    I’ve had to change some of the clothes I wear due to the quality going down hill.

    I still think Wrangler jeans fade quicker than they use to.

    Reply
  3. Limey says

    August 9, 2018 at 12:53 pm

    New Balance sneakers because they are comfortable and at least partially domestically made. But I don’t like the company’s politics. Do I support domestic workers or boycott because of a tool of an owner? I support the workers.

    There are lots of food products I just buy the one brand of. Who *hasn’t* settled on their preferred wing sauce or salad dressing or ketchup by now?

    I don’t buy Goodyear or Pirelli tires – I’ve had a terrifying-in-the-wet set of each.

    Thinking more about corporate politics, I don’t like the politics of Chick-Fil-A but I eat there, I guess an excellent chicken sandwich is all that is needed to bribe me 🙂

    Reply
    • Ognir says

      August 9, 2018 at 1:40 pm

      I use to buy NB because they made a wide size. The last time I bought a pair the bottoms wore out in a month. I switched to Sketchers.

      Reply
  4. DavidI says

    August 9, 2018 at 1:02 pm

    This may be a tangent but this reminds me of a conversation I just had at my favorite burger joint. It seems the Pepsi people talked them into ditching Coke and installing a Pepsi fountain machine. The staff there said they had customers fuming at them and one said they would never eat there again. Because they considered Pepsi such swill as compared to Coke. It was like:

    “I’ll have a Coke.”
    “Is Pepsi OK?”
    “No, I’ll just go out and drink from a puddle in the parking lot.”

    Really? Newsflash, people…they are almost identical. And don’t give me a bunch of Replys claiming you can tell the difference and one is CLEARLY superior to the other. Bullshit. I challenge anyone to blind taste test. You will fail. But for some reason there are these fringes on either side that just completely considers the other product to be the devil’s drink. Why is that? What hold do these soda companies have over people? I don’t care…Coke, Pepsi…hell, I’ll drink RC Cola and be happy. It’s really not a thing.

    Reply
    • Limey says

      August 9, 2018 at 1:15 pm

      I would take that taste test! Pepsi is far sweeter. I rarely drink soda but even I can tell the difference. I can tell the difference between Sprite and the Pepsi brand version (Sierra Mist?) and 7-Up too.

      Are you a smoker?!

      Reply
      • m says

        August 10, 2018 at 6:17 pm

        It’s easy to tell the difference between Sprite and Sierra Mist. Sierra Mist has that disgusting Splenda in it. If something is diet it should be labeled diet.

        Reply
    • Eugene B. Sims says

      August 9, 2018 at 3:28 pm

      I’ll gladly accept your challenge! I was 3 for 3 in a blind taste of dark colas… Coke, Pepsi, and RC when I was producing a radio morning show that was trying to prove the “little difference in flavor”.

      Reply
      • Limey says

        August 9, 2018 at 3:40 pm

        I know someone who continues to claim, despite me trying to demonstrate otherwise, that all beers, except really left field beers like stouts, taste the same. Bud Lite and a West Coast Imperial IPA? Claims not to be able to tell the difference, doesn’t care. Like saying chicken and beef taste the same IMO.

        Reply
  5. Surreal Killer says

    August 9, 2018 at 1:07 pm

    I can’t stand pepsi. It’s too sweet. I can tell the difference. Gimme a coke, dagummit!

    Reply
  6. Joe T says

    August 9, 2018 at 2:36 pm

    Jello. Ain’t buying that Royal gelatin shit. Q-Tips, because the generics are like poking you ears with a stick.

    I like buying my kids the generic cereals. It’s fun to hear them yell “We’re having Crispy Hexagons for breakfast!”

    Reply
  7. Phil Jett says

    August 9, 2018 at 2:56 pm

    Cereals – all store brand. 1/2 the price and no difference
    Milk, cheese other dairy – always store brand for same reason
    Eggs – store brand, see above
    bread – cheapest rye available
    clothes – No $60 dress shirts/polos when I can get them for $14.99. Same goes for jeans, if it fits that
    works for me. $100 for a pair of men’s jeans called Lucky? Not happening.
    OTC meds – cheapest available, check the label, no difference

    As for yard machines, all I use are Stihl. My trimmer, weed wacker, edger, chain saw and blowe all start the first time, every time and they just keep on running. My mower is a Husqvarna. Learned my lesson early on with Craftsman yard devices.

    Recently did my dna, results show I have some Ashkenazi Jewish in me. My wife says it all makes sense now.
    ,

    Reply
  8. chill says

    August 9, 2018 at 5:56 pm

    Dell computers. They’re solidly built and easy to work on. For small hand tools, I like Xcelite. Back when I used D-sub connectors, AMP was the brand to have.

    Beer and wine: there are too many brands, and too many good ones, for me to insist on any particular one. Although some are better than others.

    Everything I’m wearing right now came from Costco, including the glasses.

    Reply
    • Limey says

      August 9, 2018 at 8:36 pm

      (With my former microcode software engineer hat on) Apple desktops annoyed the snot out of me ~25 years ago, and that annoyance has not gone away. OK, you don’t like the code I wrote, but don’t just crash and give me a sad face, give me a BSOD so I have a lead to work on! Job’s NeXT machines, while beautiful advanced equipment for their time, were much the same, closed boxes that didn’t want to be tinkered with.

      I have a couple of iPads but they are the only Apple products I own.

      Reply
      • chill says

        August 9, 2018 at 9:12 pm

        My Apple products are Macintosh desktops, none newer than 20 years old, all obviously pre-OSX: a beige G3, a Quadra 700 and a Mac IIx. The G3 is actually a nice machine, for all its 1997-ness. The Quadra boots with difficulty, but I kept it because it has AutoCAD installed on it. I should probably toss the IIx.

        My point with Dell was about the hardware only. They all get FreeBSD installed as soon as they’re out of the box, so no blue screens or sad faces. But yes, in general I prefer error messages that give me a clue what the problem is.

        Reply
  9. Jorge says

    August 9, 2018 at 6:05 pm

    Oh, I have lots of brand loyalty.

    Coke
    Vernors Ginger Ale- the nations oldest soft drink and the tastiest
    Crest toothpaste because everything else tastes terrible.
    McDonalds- their fries are the best and they make the meal
    Irish Spring soap
    Levi’s jeans- the old cardboard stiff dark blue denim that I wear into a thin, ragged light blue and then replace.
    Carhart jackets- warm, comfortable, nearly indestructible.
    Sorrel winter boots- super warm and totally waterproof I’ve had the same pair for 28 years
    Craftsman hand tools because they’re indestructible and warrantied for life.
    Delta and Porter Cable power tools have never let me down
    American cars, preferably Ford- I’m from Detroit and the son of an autoworker
    Lazyboy recliners- I feel they’re the gold standard
    Gillette razors because that’s what I’ve always used
    Keen shoes for work- their Austin’s feel like they’re custom made for me
    American Standard toilets- guaranteed to flush 2 dozen golf balls.

    I used to be a fan of Whirlpool because my parents had the same washer/dryer for 30+ years, but the pair I bought started dying after a few years of light use.

    Reply
  10. ldub says

    August 10, 2018 at 8:30 am

    must have Brands: Laundry, dishwasher, dish soap, shampoo, catsup, diet cola, Fritos, doritos, Oreos, Olive Garden salad dressing, Deitz & watson beef hot dogs, King’s syrup, Campbell’s Tomato Bisque Soup and for my incredibly spoiled cats Fancy feast, Beyond and Iams

    Store brand: Aldi’s potato chips are awesome and 1/2 the price of national brands, same with their frozen breaded chicken products they have chicken fries that you can microwave and are better than BK’s. Greek yogurt, cheeses, mayo, mustard.

    Aversions: Google | Android, Lenovo, Persil detergent to me the wet clothes smell like vomit, Kitchen Aid large appliances. Hubby bought an incredibly expensive refrigerator, oven and dishwasher and they all suck. Look up Kitchen aid problems my favorite is the woman who had a roast in the oven when the door lock failed and sealed the door… they told her it would be 6 weeks until they could send out a technician. My oven door shattered, the dish washer racks rusted and my ice maker chute broke and you need to replace the whole door to fix it

    Reply
  11. Root 66 says

    August 10, 2018 at 9:53 am

    Brands I gotta have:
    Heinz Ketchup, because growing up we only used “Brook’s” and it was terrible;
    Michelin tires: more expensive-and worth every dime;
    Toyota cars: I have NEVER been stranded by one;
    Craftsman tools (lifetime warranty); and
    Pepsi Cola/Mountain Dew: Sorry, the generic and Coke versions are just not as good!

    My main aversion to brand names is probably Starbucks Coffee. It always tastes burnt and too strong. I just don’t like it, even though I’ve tried it many times!
    Another aversion is any hot dog brand whose first ingredient is “mechanically separated chicken”. If you knew what that stuff was, you would avoid them too! Blech!

    Reply
  12. SC_Dave says

    August 10, 2018 at 10:44 am

    Irrational? Oh my, yes. First, I will never own a set of General Tires, simply because of their long standing jingle, “Sooner or later, you’ll own Generals!” I won’t even buy a car with General tires. Wheel upgrade to get me out of the Generals? Yes, please!

    Lots of preferred favorites…

    Reply
  13. Michael Narmour says

    August 10, 2018 at 9:42 pm

    I can definitely tell the difference. Pepsi is a little sweeter (not as much as some people are claiming) and definitely more carbonated. I prefer the Pepsi.

    Reply
  14. Michael Narmour says

    August 10, 2018 at 9:46 pm

    Mayo has to be Hellman’s. Worstershire sauce has to be Lea & Perrins. I only buy store-brand cereal (Shop-Rite). Ditto for ketchup, paper products, dairy and hamburgers.

    Reply
  15. Westersteve says

    August 11, 2018 at 1:32 am

    Ok so I might be the outlier here
    Pepsi over Coke..Coke is too flat and vanilla
    Honda or Toyota over everything…longevity
    Ballrichs over Lay’s …Tiffin’s contribution to the world
    Hunts over Heinz …personal preference
    Hershey’s over Cadbury or Dove….just tastes more like chocolate
    Miracle Whip over mayonnaise….the zest is the best

    Reply
  16. Clueless says

    August 11, 2018 at 9:20 am

    Condiment loyalty: Heinz for the rare instances I use catsup/ketchup, and Hellmann’s mayonnaise which gleefully clogs my arteries along with Kerrygold butter (because it tastes fresher than Land O’Lakes).

    And Honda for cars – not exciting, but they don’t break. Also silver doesn’t show the dirt so you almost never have to wash them.

    Reply
    • johnthebasket says

      August 11, 2018 at 9:20 pm

      I’ve had three silver Hondas sequentially since 1983, and I have yet to wash one. I’m not ruling it out; I just haven’t had a car-bath yet. Also, as far as I know, the first two are still running somewhere. The fuckers just don’t stop if you change the oil once in a while and mount the occasional Hakkapeliitta. I’ll probably bite the dust before the third one does.

      jtb

      Reply
      • johnthebasket says

        August 11, 2018 at 9:23 pm

        I want to be clear who I’m talking about . . .

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakkapeliitta

        Reply

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